Driving Zero-Waste Goals: EPR Strategies for the Modern Manufacturer

Adopting zero-waste manufacturing with EPR cuts waste, boosts recycling, lowers costs, and enhances brand sustainability.

- By Abhishek Agashe, Co-founder & CEO at Elima

Industrial growth visibly harms our environment. Waste quantities increase alongside industrial expansion. Worldwide urban areas generated over 2.01 billion tonnes of solid waste in 2023 - nearly 0.74 kilos daily per person, as per the World Bank. This waste comprises packaging, expired products, scrap materials, and industrial byproducts. These numbers also point towards the necessity for reinventing waste management approaches and putting in place eco-friendly production standards.

Well, one solution to this is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) which can effectively deal with growing environmental concerns associated with waste. As manufacturers are directly held financially liable for the collection, recycling, and disposal of their products over the entire life cycle, EPR is built on the foundation of “polluter pays”. Formerly used to target certain waste streams like batteries, electronics, and packaging, this has grown into a full-fledged framework that enables companies in meeting zero-waste goals.

Modern manufacturers can view EPR strategically. While mandating reconsideration of waste techniques, production processes, and product design, it offers advantages in sustainability-focused markets. Transitioning toward circular economies creates opportunities for innovation enhancement and operational efficiency improvement while meeting legal requirements.

EPR as a tool for driving circularity

Producer accountability at every product lifecycle stage forms EPR’s core purpose, including post-consumer waste phases. Proactive end-of-life management encourages designing for durability, recyclability, and minimal environmental impact. This approach particularly benefits waste-heavy industries like electronics and packaging.